Brisingr (book)
Brisingr BRIS-ing-gr, is the third book of the Inheritance Cycle. It was released on September 20, 2008. Synopsis Oaths Sworn . . . loyalties tested . . . forces collide. Following the colossal battle against the Empire's warriors on the Burning Plains, Eragon and his dragon, Saphira, have narrowly escaped with their lives. Still there is more at hand for the Rider and his dragon, as Eragon finds himself bound by a tangle of promises he may not be able to keep. First is Eragon's oath to his cousin Roran: to help rescue Roran's beloved, Katrina, from the evil clutches of the Ra'zac. But Eragon owes his loyalty to others, too. The Varden are in desperate need of his talents and strength - as are the elves and dwarves. When unrest claims the rebels and danger strikes from every corner, Eragon must make choices - choices that take him across the Empire and beyond, choices that may lead to unimagined sacrifice. Rich with a thoughtful examination of Eragon's maturing psyche, "Brisingr" explores how Eragon must come to terms with his role as a leader and the moral obligations that weigh heavily upon his young shoulders as a Dragon Rider."'' Plot Roran, Eragon and Saphira watch as a group of worshipers of Helgrind with missing body parts perform ceremonies on slaves. Eragon desires to free the slave but realizes the foolishness of the idea. Later Roran askes eragon if he can teach him to use magic, Eragon teaches Roran to shield his mind, and is amazed by just how strong his love for Katrina is. Eragon then proceeds to heal Roran's shoulder, though it would drain his strength more, especially just a few days after the battle of the Burning Plains, because he figured Roran may be killed as a result of his handicap both ways. As they prepare to attack Helgrind Eragon reaches out with his mind to assess the situation, and his mind touches a flower in the rock, which souldn't have been able to grow. He comes to the conclusion that much of Helgrind is in fact an illusion. The three enter Helgrind, where they are attacked by Lethrblaka and Ra'zac. Eragon realises that for some reason, that he can not sense the Ra'zacs minds, which confers to that they were so readily ambushed. The Lethrblaka and Ra'zac are defeated with Saphira chasing the former. After a while of searching, Eragon finds where Katrina is held, and they are ambushed by the two Ra'zac again. The result ended with Roran killing one of them and Eragon's face being burnt with Seithr Oil from where the Ra'zac glanced him with an arrow, which is subsequently healed. After discovering the cells, Roran rushes to free Katrina while Eragon decides to look in the other cells, where he finds Sloan, the butcher, with his eyes pecked out. Eragon does not know what to do, he feels that he should not kill Sloan in cold blood, and realized that if Sloan is killed, or let go, no matter what happens, it will cause tension between Roran and Katrina's marriage. Eragon hears Roran coming down the hall saying he has found Katrina and required help to remove the door. He then puts Sloan to sleep with a spell, and tells Roran that he is dead, with his neck brocken which Katrina stoically accepts. Eragon sends Roran and Katrina off on Saphira and flees back into Helgrind, before Saphira could hold him. He meets the remaining Ra'zac and it attempted to strike a deal with Eragon, which was quite modest as the Ra'zac accepted its defeat if it should so lose. After divulging with its information, Eragon then murders it after refusing the Ra'zac which had fulfilled its end of the deal. Eragon escapes with Sloan, barely avoiding a contingent of soldiers. After some time he realizes that he must eat and slays some rabbits and lizards, he eats the rabbit and half a lizard before waking Sloan up and giving the rest to him. During this time, Eragon decides to begin eating meat again after enjoying the meal, and forming the idea that moderation is more important than zealousy. Running over thoughts in his mind, Eragon whispers a trio of words that he thinks embodies Sloan, and he realizes with Sloans reaction after a few attempts, that they are in fact, Sloans's True Name. He is shocked and does not know what to do, so he contacts Izlandadi who is on the outskirts of Du Weldenvarden and talks to her, the then sends Sloan on his way to the elves using his true name, telling him that true names can change so Sloan would no longer be bound, and either way, Eragon would've realesed him if he had, but withholding the information that if Sloan changes his ways, the elves would restore his vision, but does not tell him because he thought that there was a chance that Sloan would trick the elves into giving back his eyesight prematurely. Nasuada is compeled to suffer The Trial of the Long Knives against Fadawar, to maintain leadership of the Varden and the Wandering Tribes. It is a competition where both competitors cut their arms from the elbow down, till one of the 'competitiors' decides that he/she cannot take another cut again. There is a maximum of only six cuts per arm, to prevent permanent damage. Hardening your arm makes the pain and damage worse, so relaxing it is the best choice other than not competing at all. Nasuada manages to win, after recklessly taking two cuts in a row. After the Trial of Long Knives both competitors are disallowed from healing their arms with magic so that they feel the full force of the pain, although this is rather slanted as if the winner heals his/her arm, he/she forfeits the match. Angela says:"Only men would think of cutting themselves to determine who the pack leader is, idiots.", expressing her opinion. Roran, Katrina and Saphira arrive at the camp without Eragon, and after a few questions, Ayra decides to go and find Eragon. Eragon continues to make his way back to the Varden and he meets an eccentric human named Tenga. He lived by an anicent elven building, and always wants to find the answer to a question. He has books on the anicent language. Eragon and Ayra meet up in Eastcroft with her being disguised as a human and they head back together to the Varden camp. They are forced to kill a group of soldiers outside the city and Eragon breaks some bones in his hands with a punch, whcih Arya heals. After the ordeal he, using magic, makes a callous on his knuckles similar to the Dwarves "fists of steel." As they are travelling Eragon makes a lily and Ayra a small boat that should fly forever. Spirits then come into the camp and accidentally turn the Lily Eragon made into gold. While Roran is in training, Nasuada asks him if he wants to be assigned under another man, saying he must do so in order to rise up in the ranks. Roran asks Nausada if the mission could wait till after Eragon is back so that the marriage between him and Katrina can commence as early as possible, with a good reason. Twelve elves arrive, their leader is Blodhgarm, son of Ildrid the Beautiful, who has the fur of a panther the eyes of an eagle and the fangs of a wolf as that is what he believes beauty to be. He also has a strong smell, that only females can detect and that they are attracted to, but Blodhgram may be oblivious to the effects on female humans who lust after him, as he never takes advantage of them. Nasuada asks Captain Garven, one of her Nighthawks to enter Blodhgram's mind to see if he is a human in disguise. Garven after some time, says that he is definitely not human. After wandering in an elf's mind, he was put in a semi-dreamlike state. Ayra and Eragon arrive back to the camp. The next day he sees Angela rolling her dragon knuckles for some women. One is handsome with scars on her wrists, and a teenage girl with the forearms of a swordfigher. After they have left, he speaks to Angela and discovers that Tenga was Angela's teacher, he was always trying to find the answer to a variety of questions and he had a habit or liking of kicking cats, more specifically, Solembum. Eragon goes to Nasuada's tent to 'heal' Elva, but it does not work completely. Though she is able to ignore the pain of others. Elva becomes cruel and decided to use her powers to take advantage of others. Before Eragon can cast yet another spell she stops him. Exiting the pavilion, she leaves a shocked and disgusted Eragon behind. Eragon creates gold after casting a spell to extract certain materials from the earth. He gets three lumps, each about the size of a hazelnut, which makes him fatigued. He uses the gold to settle his debts, known or not. First, he goes to Gedric, (the tanner he stole the leather from when he left Carvanhall) and he gim him with one of the gold spheres, and a brief explanation and confession. Then he goes where Jeod resided and gives one to Helen who is delighted and estatic about the gift, as she is confident that she can make it grow with her skills as a merchant to surpass even her father's, formidable as it is. Jeod explains to him the Black Hand, Eragon's mother, and the time that he and Brom spent looking for Morzan and the eggs. He gives Eragon a copy of the Domina Abr Wyrda, which Eragon cherishes as shown by his thought, "I own a book." Eragon asks for a new sword from Fedric who goes through a variety of swords, and even a mace. He recommended a Falchion type weapon which Eragon accepts with his only plausible discontent that it looked like a "big skinning knife." He embues protective spells on the weapon so that it will become more durable and endure longer. It is the day of Roran and Katrina's Wedding. Just before the wedding starts, an army comes to attack the varden. The army is small, led by Murtagh and his dragon. Eragon is able to defeat him with the help of the 12 elven spellcasters. For some reason, the army does not feel pain, and that troubles the Varden, making them break ranks. Roran and Katrina are married only a few hours after the battle. Nasuada gives Katrina a large dowry. Eragon gives Roran Snowfire, and Gives both Roran and Katrina rings that tell them where each other is, also allowing them to contact Eragon. After he goes to a healer, and meets a man who was hurt on the battle where Murtagh first fought Eragon. He now has the ability to see hidden things, like Beloth the Wise, and he said that he can see something in Murtagh. Chapters after and Whispers in the night ... Brief overview *spoilers* ---- Eragon goes to the Dwarfs, he is nearly killed, Orik becomes king. Saphira mends the jewel. Eragon and Saphira go to Ellesmera where they meet Oromis, Eragon finds out that Brom is Eragon's father. Murtagh is his half brother. Eragon finds some Brightsteel (part of a meteorite) under the Meona tree. Then, Rhunon makes a sword for Eragon by using his body but she controls his action, thus circumventing her oath. When it is finished Eragon names it Brisingr. Everytime he says the word while holding the sword, the sword catches fire. Glaedr gives Eragon his heart of hearts, a stone that dragons put their soul into. (which is what Galbortorix has been getting his powers from) Oromis and Eragon leave, Eragon fights in a battle, Oromis another one, where Murtagh kills him. Meanwhile at the same time Arya and Eragon slay a new shade named Varaug, who stronger than Durza, who was a formidable opponent to Arya, Eragon, and Saphira. Certain (or Probable) Information *Because the third book was split into two volumes, some of these details may appear in Book IV instead of the third. * The cover of the 3rd book features the gold dragon Glaedr. *In a July 1, 2008 newsletter from Alagaesia.com, Paolini revealed that Brisingr will have a subtitle: "The Seven Promises of Eragon Shadeslayer and Saphira Bjartskular ". * A Spoiler has been released on the official inheritance site stating that Eragon will see a god in this book. *On May 12, 2008 a spoiler video was released on Alagaesia.com that Eragon will meet "an enemy that laughs a lot, and not in a good way." *A Shade will be created *On July 14, 2008, a third spoiler was released on Alagaesia.com, stating that "In Brisingr, one of the characters will become pregnant". This was later revaled to be Katrina * In March 2008, Christopher Paolini was interviewed by shurtugal.com and he revealed the following information: **At the end of Eldest, the Varden still favor Nasuada in terms of leadership, but in the third book, this might change. **In the third book it will be revealed if Saphira ever finds a mate. **Elva, along with "every other character," will have an important role to play. * An important character will die in the closing chapters of the book.... Oromis and Gladar. * The Rock Of Kuthian may be in the Spine due to its mysterious nature. Or it is another name, an old name for the rock mountain called Helgrind, or it could be hidden in the Beor Mountains. There is also a strange formation directly South-East of Helgrind, but many believe it to be the Diamond Tomb, where Brom rests. * Eragon may have lost Zar'roc but he gains a new sword made by Rhunon, the smith, and a material he received from the roots of the menoa tree. The substance is "brightsteel" and the sword is named Brisingr. When he says it's name the sword catches on fire because brisingr means fire. *There will be a battle at the end of the book. *When Eragon had his fortune told by Angela in Book 1, it is stated that Eragon will leave Alagaesia and never return (this is mostly probable for Book 4) *Thorn actually managed to rival Saphira by the Liduen Kvaedhi, a substance that made dragons acceler Speculation There is a possibility that Roran might become the new Rider, considering the title, Inheritance, and the fact that all the new Riders are seemingly "related". Though it is more likely the rider will be female considering that it is suspected the green dragon will be Saphira's mate, and if Saphira falls in love with the green dragon Eragon's affection will most likely transfer to the green dragon's Rider, because of the bond between Eragon and Saphira. Therefore, it is quite probable that Arya will be the next rider, since she is an elf and a female, and Eragon constantly lusts after her. Information that would support Arya as the new rider is that her magic and eyes are as green as the color of the supposed dragon (but this all seems more likely to happen in Book 4.) Paolini states that when someone, elf or human, bonds to a dragon, their magic automatically changes to the dragon's color, regardless what it might have previously been. Even so, other fans seem to disregard that statement, due to the fact that Arya was heavily criticised. "Antis" claim that Arya will be the next Rider because of her Mary Sue status--as the already-perfect elven warrior-princess-magician, Paolini is likely to add yet another accomplishment to the list. Orik the Dwarf is unlikely to be the next, because the pact of the dragons only involves humans and elves. Other fans believe that Thorn is more likely to be Saphira's mate, as she feels sorry for him. This hints that Saphira feels that Thorn needs someone to love and to love him back. In response to disputes over Arya's already having touched the last egg, in Eldest, it is mentioned that Arya was born a year before the Fall. Oromis mentions that all elves were brought to the eggs "at the age of twenty". By the time Arya was twenty, the eggs would no longer be in the elves' hands, thereby invalidating claims that she has already come in contact with the eggs. Although it is still possible the green egg has hatched,to Arya or not, as the egg-thief fled before anyone had contact with him and could have stolen the green egg for the elves. The vault of souls may be Galbatorix's hoard of dragon hearts. Unresolved plot threads * In one of Eragon's dreams it shows elven ships leaving a shoreline while one last elf stays behind and cries. What does this mean? One possible reason is that it could be the elves leaving Alalea for Alagaesia. If so, then why did they leave and who was the one who stayed behind? Some believe that, with Angela's prediction and the curse of the Ra'zac and the cursed painless men, he may be leaving Alagaesia and Arya is the one staying behind, not willing to leave, but finally submitting to Eragon's love. * Eragon's dream where he and a female rider hold hands underneath two flying dragons that are speculated to be Saphira with Thorn or the green dragon. * Nasuada's mother - who was she? * The location of the Rock of Kuthian and Vault of Souls. * The fate of the last dragon egg. * The strange beasts of Vroengard. * The reason Galbatorix lost half of his army in the Spine. * Eragon's departure from Alagaësia (predicted by Angela, possibly a reference to his death, though unlikely as it is also predicted by Angela that Eragon will live forever or for a long time) * The seven words that Brom revealed to Eragon as he was dying. Bear in mind that Brom told Eragon what these words meant and also to use them "in great need". * The fate of Roran. * The identity of the blind beggar who could speak to Solembum but asked not to have his fortune read. * Eragon, Saphira, Murtagh and Thorn's true names. * Saphira's mate. (it would be interesting if she mated with Thorn and they came along with a purple dragon and if it were female, it would mate with the green one.) * Selena's fortune, as foretold by Angela. * The new Dragon Rider * All the promises of both Eragon and Saphira, and how they will do them in order. * Eragon's promise to return to the elves. * The fate of Murtagh. Will he and Thorn survive? * Information about Tornac (Murtagh's old friend and trainer) will be revealed. * What lies beyond the borders of Alagaësia? * The name of the Ancient Language. It is possible that Galbatorix will have found the name by Book 4. * Whether Eragon still feels the same about Arya and what will happen between the two of them. * Whether there are real feelings between Murtagh and Nasuada. * The fate of King Orrin and Surda. * How the Varden plan to get the last dragon egg, if it does not hatch for Galbatorix. * If the Grey Folk will appear. * Ajihad's background. * Arya's background. * Solembum's and Maud's real names. * If Eragon will ever visit the Urgal halls. * Angela's real age. * The real name of the Beor Mountains. * More information about Brom's home in Kuasta. * Color of Galbatorix's first dragon. * Where does Arya get her magic from, even though she isn't a Rider? * Whether there are any other Riders and dragons still alive and hidden. * What lies to the east of Du Weldenvarden and the Beor Mountains. * What Shruikan's fate will be when and if Galbatorix's hold over him is broken, and what would happen to him if Galbatorix will die. * The identity of King Evandar's murderer. * How Oromis escaped from Galbatorix after being tortured and having his magic-using abilities weakened tremendously. Excerpt *See Light and Shadow. See also *''Eragon'' *''Eldest'' *Book 4 *Brisingr and Book 4 Suspected Outcomes External links * http://www.eragonhq.com/Eragon_Headquarters/Home.html - Fan site * Alagaesia.com, Official site * Shurtugal.com - Fan site USA * Brisingr.net - Fan Outlet USA * Eragon1.net - Fan site CZ/SK * Shadeslayer.com - Fan site USA * Eragons.com - Fan site Spain * Saphira.pl - Fan site PL * Eragon.atw.hu - Fan site HU * Brisingr.info - Fan site * Cluberagon.myhosting247.com - Fan Site es:Brisingr nl:Brisingr (boek) * http://www.randomhouse.com/catalog/display.pperl?isbn=9780375826726 Publishing site